The 25 Best Metro Boomin Beats

Metro Boomin is everywhere. For a while, you could only catch beatmaker blasting from the open windows of passing cars or seeping out from the fire-escape doors at strip clubs, but in the past couple of years, the St. Louis-bred, Atlanta-based producer has embedded himself in the pop charts and atop the list of the industry’s most trusted hitmakers.

One of the 23-year-old’s beat tags became a signature moment on Kanye West’s latest album; he handled the entirety of Savage Mode, his extraordinary, experimental record with 21 Savage. He’s working with his idols (Gucci Mane), his longtime creative peers (Future, Young Thug), and, finally, with up-and-comers looking to him for guidance (Lil Uzi Vert). He’s also learned to deal in a variety of disparate sounds, revealing an unshakable sense for what makes a song tick.

What follows are 25 of his best beats; with respect to “Crib in My Closet,” they serve as the perfect primer to understand one of hip-hop’s most exciting young artists.

And be sure to check out Metro when he performs at ComplexCon on Saturday, Nov. 5. You can purchase tickets here.